Ash disposal apparatus for stokers



y 8, 1952 c. SCHOLL 2,602,577

ASH DISPOSAL APPARATUS FOR STOKERS Filed March 12, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS y 8, 1952 c. SCHOLL ASH DISPOSAL APPARATUS FOR STOKERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 12, 1948 INVENTOR. M 121/ 011mm ATTORNEYS July 8, 1952 c. SCHOLL 2,602,577

ASH DISPOSAL APPARATUS FOR STOKERS Filed March 12, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l 1 l l? /l 1 I I 40 5/ 50 5/ INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented July 8, 1952 FFICE asn 'DISPQSAL APPARATUS FOR s'roKEns .Clark Scholl, Springfield, Ohio, assignor to The .Steel Products Engineering Company, Spring- .field, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio ApplicationfMarch .12, 1948, Serial'No. 14 539 I 8 Claims. (01126- 274 'This invention .relatesito portable ash containers fornse'inenashremoval system of a domestic heating :furnace to receive the ashes :from an -ash:conveyor of theaworm feed type.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide such an ash container which has awalvecontrolled opening in the bottom thereof :for receiving ashe from the conveyor and which so constructedwith relationto the supporting mount therefor .on the conveyor that it cannot be removed except when the ash receiving opening therein is fully closed.

.An'cther'object is 'to provide such an ash container wherein the valve controlling. the .ash receiving opening is positioned below the bottom of the container .for rotational movement on .a

tion on the conveyor except when the ash ireceiving opening .at the bottom of the container is fully closed, .and thus preventing spilling of {ashes when the containerisremovedfordumping purposes.

llltis also an object of theinventionto provide I ash container wherein the valve which controls the ash :receivingiopening in the .bottomof the container and the supporting mount for the container on the conveyor have cooperating parts indexing the opening in the valve with I thedischargeopening in the conveyor and wherein the remainder of the conveyor is supported for rotationwith respect to the valve and supporting :mount to bring the :ash receiving opening-therein intoandout of register with the discharge-opening of the conveyor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will .be apparent from the following .description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

thedravvings- 1mg. 1 is .an exploded view in perspective of ,a-mashcontainer in accordance with the inventionand the supporting mount therefor on an lash -..conveyor; I I I Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly broken away :and in vertical section on the line 2--.-2 ofFig. 3zshowingitheash container mounted on an ;ash conveyor :in position .to re- :ce'iveJashes therefrom;

Fig. 3 is a view of the container approximately on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2 with parts brokenaway atdifferent levels to illustrate details of internal construction and arrangement; I

Fig.4 is a fragmentary view in verticalsection on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5 showing the relative positions of the container and the supporting mount therefor while the container is being-removed from or mounted on the conveyor;

Fig. 5 is a view taken approximately on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2 but with the parts .in therelative positionsshown in Fig. 4;

Fig. .6 is a fragmentary sectional view on .-a larger .scale taken on the .same section line as Fig. 2; and I .-Fig.-7 is .a fragmentary sectional view-on the line 1| of Fig. 3 and on the same scale as Fig.6.

The drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention in connection with an ash remover stoker of the general type shown in Burton Patent No. 2,069,940, assigned to the same assignee as this application. As shown, a conveyor tube [,0 is provided for conveying the solid fuel to the combustion zone, where it ;is burned in asuitable retort, not shown, and the conveyor 1 removes the ashes from the combus tion zone. The conveyor H is provided with a discharge opening 12in the upper part thereof, and ashort discharge or outlet tube 13 is secured to the conveyor to transmit ashes upwardly-from the discharge opening 12. As shown in Fig. 3, the ash conveyor worm .I'5 is provided-wither reversedfiight portion [6, the two flights l5 and 16 terminating below the discharge opening 12 and cooperating :to cause the ashes to be lifted upwardly through thisopening and through the tube 13.

The .container 120 is adapted for removable mounting on theash conveyor ll to-receive the ashes from tube [3; this container being portable to .facilitate ready carrying away and dumping and 2. The bottom 25 of the container 2051s provided'with an eccentric-ash receiving opening v 26 which is disposed wholly to one side .of the central axis 21 .of .the container. 1

.A funnel 30 of sheetmetal in the form-of a hollow truncated cone is mounted within the container withits lower end'in register with theash receiving opening 2-6, the 'funnel being secured to the container bottom by a suitable flange 1. This funnel acts in use to receive ashes from the discharge opening [2 and outlet tube I3 of the ash conveyor ii, and its smooth expanding inner surface guides the ashes upwardly substantially without tumbling or churning until they overflow the top of the funnel and fall into the interior of the container, reference being made in this connection to the copending application of Joseph E. McAdanis, Serial No. 723,811, filed January 23, 1947, now Patent No. 2,509,872, issued May 30, 1950, and. assigned to the same assignee as this application.

A valve 33 in the form of a circular plate is rotatably mounted below the container bottom for'rotation relative thereto about the central axis 21, and this valve is provided with an eccentric opening 34'therethrough which is disposed wholly to one side of axis 2-! and is thus adapted to be brought into and out of register with the ash receiving opening 26 in the bottom of the container. A narrow annular collar 35 is welded or otherwise secured to the under side of valve 33 in concentric relation with the opening 34 to form a pilot adapted to be received over the ash conveyor outlet tube l3. The valve 33 is rotatably supported on a flat ring 36 by overlapping its outer periphery with the inner periphery of such ring which is secured in spaced. relation to the bottom 25 of the container by means of spacers 31, four of these spacers being shown. The spacers 3'! and the ring 36 are all secured together and to the bottom plate 25 of the container as by spot welding or other suitable means to form a track for valve 33, the inner surfaces 38 of the spacers being cylindrically curved to guide the rotational movement of the valve.

In order to receive the container on the ash conveyor I I a flange 40 is welded or otherwise secured to the tube l3, this flange being disposed below the top of the tube to leave a projecting pilot portion 4! of the tube (Fig. 4). Atopposite sides of the flange 40 are two projections 42, which are secured to the upper surface of the flange by means of spacers 43 and the sides 44 of which are tapered toward the center of the container (Figs. 1, 3 and 5). These projections 42 are adapted to be received through two corresponding oppositely located notches 45 inthe outer periphery of the ring 36, so that the notches in the ring can be received over projections 42 and the outer periphery of ring 36 then rotated under projections 42 and in the grove 46 formed between ring 33 and the under surface of the bottom of the container, thus releasably locking the container on the flange 40. Up-turned portions 41 are provided on the periphery of flange between the projections 42 to aid in guiding and centering the container for rotation on the flange.

With this construction, it will be seen that the container can be mounted on or removed from the flange 40 only when the notches in the ring 36 are in line with the projections 42. In addition, the valve 33 cooperates with parts of the conveyor and flange to prevent removal of the container except when the valve is in position fully closing the ash receiving opening 25. For this purpose a rib-like projection 59 (Figs.

'1 and 7) is secured to the under side of valve 33 at a position on the opposite side of center from the opening 34 therethrough, and this rib 50 is adapted to engage between two similar spaced projections 51 in the form of bars secured to the upper surface of the mounting flange 40. These the projections 4'2.

parts thus cooperate to key the valve into a position wherein its opening 34 will receive the upwardly projecting pilot portion 4| of the discharge tube !3, and when the container and valve are thus properly mounted on the conveyor, this pilot portion of the tube and the projections 55 and 5| serve to locate and hold the valve against rotation with respect to the conveyor, leaving the container free to rotate relative to the valve in order to bring its ash receiving opening 23 into register with the tube [3.

Means are also provided for defining two limit positions of the rotational movement of the container in which its ash receiving opening is respectively fully closed by valve 33 and fully opened into register with the discharge tube [3. Referring to Figs. 1, 3 and 5, the spacer 31 which is opposite funnel 35 includes an outward projection 55 adapted to abut the tapered sides 44 of Fig. 5 shows the parts in one limit position of rotational movement of the container wherein the container can be mounted on or removed from the flange 53. As shown, the projection 55 is in contact with the projection 42 at the side of flange 45 on the opposite side of center from the tube [3. In this position, the ash receiving opening 25 is fully closed by valve 33 and the notches 45 line up with the projections 42, thus permitting the container to be moved vertically with respect to the conveyor as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 3 shows the container as having been fully rotated from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position in which the projection 55 on the spacer 3'! opposite funnel 30 abuts the projection 42 adjacent the tube l3, and in this position of the parts the ash receiving opening 25 and funnel 30 are fully opened and in register with the tube 13.

In the operation of this device, when the container 20 is first to be mounted on the conveyor, the parts are in the relative angular positions shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, with the valve 33 being properly positioned for registry of its opening 34 and the pilot portion 41 of the discharge tube l3 but with the ash receiving opening 25 fully closed. The container is then positioned on the flange 50, the projection 55 on the valve 33 being received between the projections 5| on the flange 45, and the projections 42 being received through the notches 45 on the ring 35. The container 20 is then rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5, causing spacers 3! and ring 35 to rotate also while valve 33 remains in fixed non-rotating relation by reason of the interlocking engagement of rib 5!! between bars 5!. After approximately half a revolution, the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3 wherein the projection 55 abuts the projection 42 adjacent the tube I3. In this position the ash receiving opening and funnel are fully opened to receive the ashes forced upwardly by conveyor 15, and the projections 42 and ring 36 interlock to hold the container in place so that it cannot be removed.

When it is desired to remove the container for dumping the ashes collected therein, the container must be rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 3 and 5 to the position shown in Fig. 3 wherein the projection 55 abuts the projection 42 opposite the tube l3, such abutting engagement of projection 55 with the respective projections 42 thus establishing limiting stops at the opposite ends of the range of movement of the container. In this position the notches 45 are again brought into register with 'aegnoogm'r 1 5 :i'he fprqjections '42, and ithen rand-1 only ;then can the container rloe removed from "the conveyor. Since this rotational movement efieets-closing #01 the -ash --'receiving opening and the bottom of the dunne'l by theivalve 3 3, it "will beiseen that itis only when the ash receiving opening isthus fully .clo'sed' that the {container can be removed from "the conveyor, the interlocking relation of projections 42 and -=ring '36 preventing =such re- :moval F211 other relative angular --positions of the -,container and flange 40. After the :coritainer z'is ,ir' emove'd, "is dumped by removing "its top 211, thus discharging -both the ashes which are istillin funnel 30 as well as those *within the 'rremaindersof -ithe-:container.

Whi1e the dorm of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment the in- :vention, itis to be understood'that'theinvention F18 @not limited to this precise form of apparatus,

and that changes may *be made therein without departing from the scope of the inventionwhich is defined :in the appended claims. r Whatfis-Claimedis: I

1. Ash receiving apparatus oomprisingan=-ash conveyor having a discharge opening in {the upiper :part thereof, a container having an ash receiving opening in the bottom thereof *of-sdb- 'stantiallythe sam'e dimensions as said discharge opening, a valve supported 'by said "container =.for movement relative thereto between positions respectivelyopening and closing said ash receiving opening, means for mounting said container above said conveyor to receiveashes through said ash receiving opening from said discharge opening, said container and said mounting means having releasably interlocking portions for releasably securing said container .3011 said mount ing means, and said valve and said mounting means "having cooperating portions arranged predetermined aligned relation with said interlocking portions of said container and said mounting means to prevent rem-oval of said :con- "tainer from said mounting means except wh'e n said valve is in said position closing said ash receiving opening.

2. Ash receiving apparatus for use with an ash conveyor having a discharge opening in the upper part thereof, comprising a container having an ash receiving opening in the bottom thereof of substantially the same dimensions as said discharge opening, a valve movably secured to said container below the bottom thereof for movement relative thereto between positions respectively opening and closing said ash receiving opening, means for mounting said container above said conveyor to receive ashes through said ash receiving opening from said discharge opening, cooperating means on said valve and said mounting means for locating and holding said valve in predetermined position out of the'path of ashes discharged from said discharge opening leaving said container free to move with respect to said valve to a position of register betweensaid ash receiving opening and said discharge opening, and said mounting means and said container having releasably interlocking portions for releasably securing said container on said mounting means, said interlocking portions being arranged in predetermined aligned relation with said cooperating means to prevent removal of said container from said mounting means except when said container and said valve are in relative positions fully closing said ash receiving opening.

3. Ash receiving apparatus for use with an a-ashtconveyorfhaving;za';disohargecopeningzinzithe upper 1p artirthereohicomprising izarcontainer :havi-ingzan ash receivingnpening..in-thebdttom'cthere- :of, a funnel-mounted within vsaid containerwv'ith lthe'lower"endithereof:iii-communicationiwitmsaid :ash reeeiving opening, :a valve IfOl.GOI1t1 d111IIg said zash :receiving :opening, L'means monnecting :said valve and saidcontainer fortrelative :ro'tation ;open and .'close said :ash receiving :open- :ing, rmeansrfor mounting said :cohtainer :above .said :conveyor 1150 ireoeive ashes i-fthrough .zsaid cash :re'ceiving qopeningifrom said discharge :opening, means'ior locating and holding; said valveiin'apreiietermined position outro'fthe path crashes ailsr'charged vfrom said discharge opening,oandzmeans :guiding said .:container for :rotation relative said amounting means and asai'd "valve'ito iefiect :opening and closing of -:said ash 'ireceiving ='opening. V

4. .Ashreceiving apparatus .forusewiths'an ash 'conveypr having .adischarge,opening.-.in ithezupper :part thereof, comprising aacontainer having Bah ash receiving opening in the bottom thereof ate position eccentrically disposed with respectto' the central axis of said con'tainer, saidiash receiving opening being of substantially the :same dimensionssas "said discharge opening, a valve supported by :said container for rotation relative ?t-hereto about said central axis, said valve having an eccentrically disposed opening -tl ierethrough adapted :to' be brought into and out ot registry with said ash receiving opening'to-open and close said ash receiving opening, :means for mounting said container above said conveyor to' deceive ashes through said ash receiving :opening f from said .disc'harg.e opening, means for locating said valve in predetermined position with respect to said :conveyor wherein saidvalve opening is in register with said discharge opening, and means "guiding said container for rotation with' fre'spect to said mounting means and said valve "to' bring :saidas'h receiving opening into and-out of register with said valve opening :and said discharge opening.

'5. Ash receiving apparatus for use with an ash conveyor having a discharge opening in ithe upper part thereof, comprising a container having an ash receiving .open'ing in' the bottom thereof at a position eccentrically disposed with respect to the central axis of said container, a funnel mounted within said container with the lower end thereof in communication with said ash receiving opening, a valve supported by said container for rotation relative thereto about said central axis, said valve having an eccentrically disposed opening therethrough adapted to be brought into and out of registry with said ash receiving opening to open and close said ash receiving opening, means for mounting said container above said discharge opening for rotary movement with respect to said conveyor about said central axis, means for keying said valve to said conveyor to align said valve opening with said discharge opening and to prevent rotary movement of said valve with respect to said mounting means, and interlocking means on said container and said mounting means preventing removal of said container from said mounting means except when said container and valve are in relative positions closing said ash receiving opening.

6. Ash receiving apparatus for use with an ash conveyor having a discharge opening in the upper part thereof, comprising a container having an ash receiving opening in the bottom thereof, means depending from said container bottomto form a track, a valve rotatably mounted on said track and having an opening therethrough adapted to move into and out of register with'said ash receiving opening to open and close and said track forming means having cooperating parts releasably locking said container and said mounting means together, means for keying said. valve and said mounting means together to prevent relative rotation thereof, and stop means carried by said container and said mounting -means for controlling relative rotation of said container andsaid mountingmeans to define limit positions of such rotation'wherein said ash receiving opening is respectively fully opened and fully closed.

' 7, Ash receiving apparatus for use with an ash conveyor having a discharge opening in the upper part thereof, comprising a container having an ash receiving opening in the bottom thereof, a funnel mounted within said container with the lower end thereof in communication with said ash receiving opening, a valve for controlling said ash receiving opening, means connecting said valve and said container for relative rotation to open and close said ash receiving opening, means for mounting said container above said conveyor to receive ashes through said ash receiving opening from said discharge opening, means for keying said valve to said mounting means to locate and hold said valve in predetermined position out of the path of ashes discharged from said discharge opening, means guiding said container for rotation on said mounting means with respect to said valve to bring said ash receiving opening into and out of register with said discharge opening, stop means defining limit positions of such rotational -movement wherein said ash receiving opening'is v3. Ash receivingapparatus for usewith an ash conveyor having a discharge. opening inthe upper 1 part thereof, comprising a container having an ash receiving opening in the bottom thereof, a ring supported in spaceddepending relation with saidcontainer bottom, a valve rotatably supported on said ring and having an opening therethrough adapted to be brought into and out of register with said ashreceiving opening to open and close said ash receiving opening, means for mounting said container above said conveyor to receive ashes through said ash receiving opening-from said discharge opening, means for keying said valve to said mounting means to locate said valve in predetermined position wherein said valve opening is in register with said dis charge opening, projections on said mounting means adapted to overlap said ring for releasably securing said container and mounting means together, said ring having slots in the outer \periphery thereof to receive said projections, stop REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: V

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 701,980 Witman June 10, 1902 1,226,722 Sullivan May 22, 1917 2,069,940 Burton Feb. 9, 1937 2,321,389 Julyan et a1 June 8, 1943 2,341,252 Winter Feb. 8, 1944 2,509,872 McAdams May 30, 1950 

